Day 26: Rotation questions remain

Posted by | March 10, 2008 at 02:16 PM

With three weeks until Opening Day, the Phillies still have a rotation riddled with questions.

Adam Eaton, the one-time frontrunner for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, has back problems and a bloated ERA. Kyle Kendrick (left, AP photo), the projected No. 3 starter, got bombed for the second straight time Sunday. Three other rotation possibilities (Chad Durbin, J.D. Durbin, Travis Blackley) have not distinguished themselves, and Kris Benson still hasn't pitched in a Grapefruit League game while recovering from the right shoulder surgery that kept him out for the entire 2007 season.

Time to panic? Perhaps not. Time to believe the Phillies have major rotation holes? Perhaps.

Eaton's poor 2007 season and continued struggles this spring can't be dismissed. He has never had a full-season ERA better than the league average, so why should anyone believe that will change this season?

Kendrick has 20 career starts, so people were always going to wonder whether he could succeed again this year after his surprising rookie campaign. He still has time to work out his trouble spots. The Phillies need him to, because they are banking on him to at least give them competent innings.